Luck Runs Out
by Taylors-Kwami
Summary: The Bracelet (from Episode 15) leads to new beginnings in Ladybug and Chat Noir's relationship. But mixed feelings about the situation end up doing more harm than good. And with this negativity comes a familiar kind of butterfly.
1. Chapter 1 - The Bracelet

**Chapter One: The Bracelet**

"Bien Joué!" The duo cheered as they bumped fists. Once the little bit of enthusiasm left with the words off of their tongues, they both slumped over with fatigue. The battle with the last akuma had been a tough one, and Ladybug, who was usually still energetic by the end of the fight, was now holding her injured shoulder and desperately trying to catch her breath.

"Are you okay?" She heard Chat ask. He looked over at her with utmost worry as he stretched out his arms.

"You could say I'm purr-fectly fine compared to you, Chat," she mused, eyeing the slices in his leather suit. "You seemed to take most of the blows as usual."

"Did you just make a cat pun?" Chat sauntered up to her confidently as he spoke. "Anything to prote-" He tried to lean in towards Ladybug, but instead only found himself wincing with pain.

Ladybug was quickly at his side. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Chat gave a weak smile and nodded. "The pain usually fades once the Miraculous Power clears everything up."

Chat stood up straight once again and looked down at the ribbons of leather that hung from his suit. He knew they wouldn't be there the next time he transformed, but it was still a bit concerning. He pulled at one of the pieces, thus exposing his ripped pocket. The gash in it opened up, and a bracelet dropped onto the sidewalk.

Ladybug hastily bent down to pick it up. She scooped it in her hand, and almost handed it over to Chat without realizing that it was familiar. She yanked her hand back and held it closer so she could see what it was.

"What is this?" She asked quietly, even though she already knew what it was. She had given this to Adrien a couple of weeks ago as a good luck charm. He had never returned it, and she had been okay with that, until now. Why did Chat have it? "How did you get this?"

"It's just something- It's really nothing I promise. Someone just gave it to me for good luck and I carry it around," Chat stammered nervously while trying to grab the bracelet from Ladybug. She dodged each swipe, only making him more and more nervous.

A storm of thoughts began to brew inside her. She gave the bracelet to Adrien. But Chat Noir has it. Maybe, a little while ago, she would have brushed it off with the excuse that Adrien gave it to Chat. But that just felt wrong in her mind. Surely Adrien wouldn't just give something like that away. She trusted him with it, and she felt that he would honor that by holding onto it.

Suddenly, everything began to click together in Ladybug's mind like pieces of a puzzle. Chat snatched the bracelet away from her as she stood in the eye of the storm that was her thoughts. Everything suddenly made sense. The disappearances, the blonde hair, the green eyes, the little moments where Ladybug caught Chat letting his Identity slip.

"Ladybug?" Chat mumbled while stuffing the bracelet in his other pocket. The stinging in his side had subsided, but now he was left with the sharp sting of worry. He had said too much, and didn't think quick enough to create a diversion on the spot.

Ladybug's face began to fill with heat, and her hands flew up to her mouth with horror. "Y-You can't be," she hissed. She heard her Miraculous beep, and new that her transformation would be ending soon, but she was frozen.

Memories were next to go flying about her head. Every touch, every flirtatious remark, every single interaction suddenly had so much meaning. Her arms and limbs felt heavy. Her vision had become blurry. Nothing felt real at that moment in time.

"Ladybug your transformation," Chat warned. Ladybug's miraculous beeped again. This time, the sound rang over and over in her ears and she shook her head angrily to help the noise escape.

She couldn't find the words to say what she was feeling. Was all of this true? Were they completely oblivious this entire time? How was she supposed to prove anything? What would she say? What would he say?

"You're really freaking me out, Bugaboo, so I'm going to go before you transform." Chat turned, but right before he could leap onto the rooftops, Ladybug was able to spit out a word.

"Adrien?"

The small whimper of a name caused Chat's form to go entirely rigid. He froze before turning around very slowly. Once their eyes connected, Ladybug knew the truth.

They both pondered what to say next as they stared at each other. Would it matter if they continued to hide from each other at this point? Ladybug had began to trust Chat _and_ Adrien, so why couldn't she find the sense to trust them together. And Chat had always wanted to reveal his identity, but not like this.

The tangible silence that had lingered between them was torn by the ringing of both their miraculous. This time, for Ladybug, it was the final beep.

Chat suddenly realized that they were still standing in the middle of the street. He swallowed what he was feeling so he could concentrate on grabbing Ladybug by her wrist and yanking her with him into the nearest alleyway.

She still stood frozen, and Chat began to grow impatient as he waited for her to say something. He knew he shouldn't say anything without hearing what she was thinking first. However, the silence was becoming unbearable.

"Ladybug!" He hissed desperately. His eyes raked her face for any sign of an expression. "Yes, it's me."

" _Mon dieu,_ " Ladybug whispered. Her eyes were as round as plates, and even as the pink light began to tear away her disguise, she remained frozen.

Chat turned his face away and forced his eyes shut as an instinct. " _Ladybug,_ " he groaned. "Please say something. I can't just leave you like this."

In a matter of moments, the flash of pink light was gone, and Marinette was left staring at Chat with terror. "All of this time, you have been _Adrien_?"

Chat threw his arm over his eyes since his will to keep them shut was beginning to falter. "Yeah," he sighed. "I know. It's surprising."

"Well, there's no point in keeping it a secret now, Ch-Adrien," Marinette exclaimed, throwing her hands up with exasperation.

Chat removed his arm away from his eyes, and saw that Ladybug was none other than his own classmate, Marinette. He gasped and jumped back as though she had swung at him.

"No way!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise. His mouth curved up in a smile, but the last thing he was feeling was happiness.

As Adrien began to have the same swarm of thoughts Marinette had just minutes ago, she was just starting to get more in control of herself. "I just, I can't believe it's been you this whole time," she murmured. Her eyes were watching the ground, since she couldn't find the courage to look back up into Chat's eyes and see Adrien's there.

There was another long period of silence as Adrien watched Marinette and Marinette watched the ground. The beeping of Chat's miraculous informed that he would be transforming shortly, and he did so after a few moments, leaving the two high school students in silence once again.

"This is great," Adrien finally said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm glad to finally know the truth."

"This is a mess," Marinette sputtered, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What?"

"Because I-" She froze. She couldn't just tell him that she had been crushing on him this whole time. "I… I'm sorry."

"What is it? What's wrong?" Adrien began to feel desperate to hear what she had to say. "We could go somewhere and talk about this if you want? I just- I have so many questions and-"

Marinette cut him off by raising her hand. "I'm sorry but I just need to be alone and collect my thoughts for a while."

Before Adrien could say anything more, she shook her head and quickly brushed by him and back out into the street. He stood there in silence for a minute before going after her.

"Wait, Marinette!" He called after her, but when he raced back out into the streets, she was nowhere to be seen.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Black Butterfly

**Chapter 2: The Black Butterfly**

Plagg rolled over on the desk. "I can't understand why you're so upset. I thought you were thrilled."

Adrien stepped way from the window. He didn't know what he expected to see while watching from it for an hour and a half. Of course Ladybug or Marinette wouldn't just come running back. What was there to run back to?

"How could I be thrilled?" Adrien covered his face with his hands and sighed into them angrily. "Didn't you see the look on her face?"

Plagg sat up and glared at him. His pupils were cat-like slits that watched him carefully. "I thought you always wanted to reveal yourself. I thought you always wanted to know who she was."

Adrien threw himself down onto the white sofa in his room and draped his arm dramatically across his face so he could shield the evening sunlight from his eyes. He was always subconsciously modeling.

"I _did_ ," he sighed. "But not like this."

Plagg flew over and landed on Adrien's hair. It was the only bit of affection he could stand giving his holder. "Care to explain?" He suggested half-heartedly. The last thing he wanted was to hear this kid ramble on some more, but he also wanted Adrien to keep a level head about this.

"I guess I knew the consequences of my horrible flirting, but now that I know that it was Marinette all this time makes everything so much more embarrassing. Marinette is…" Adrien sighed again, a little smile peeking at his lips. "She's kind and sweet."

"So what's the problem? That just means she will understand, right?"

"Maybe," Adrien huffed. He removed his arm and stared up at the ceiling. "But Marinette- If I knew that it was her this whole time, I would have maybe tried to control my emotions a little bit better. Maybe chilled it a bit on the flirting."

He cringed and shot up, causing the black cat spirit to go flying. "I must have made myself look like an idiot!" Adrien exclaimed, slamming his fists into the black pillow. "How could I have been so stupid? Why couldn't I just control myself like a normal human being?"

"No need to get hostile," Plagg reassured, flying back over to eye-level. "You had a crush. It's normal."

"It's more than a crush, Plagg," Adrien spat. "That's why I acted like such an idiot. Now she will never love me. Because I acted like an idiot." Adrien couldn't help but let some tears drip from his eyes. They fell and made dark spots on his jeans. "We were never meant to be together."

Plagg sighed and grabbed onto the tip of Adrien's nose. "Don't say that. Ladybug and Chat Noir have always been able to work things out. You just have to take a deep breath and let destiny ride itself out, okay?"

"Okay," Adrien mumbled, wiping his face.

Even after a long shower, a pile of homework, and a lonely dinner, Adrien found himself lying awake in bed replaying what Plagg said. He wanted to let it go, but he couldn't. No matter what he tried to go, he couldn't stop his mind from turning.

It was the early hours of the morning when he became so delusional that he began to let the darkness creep into his mind. The petty, irrational thoughts contaminated his emotions like black ink being poured into water, until the whole thing was nothing but murky clouds of shadow.

Adrien rolled over in his bed and looked at the way the night drained his entire room of color. Plagg slept somewhere at the foot of his bed and snored loudly. Adrien carefully reached up towards his nightstand, and felt around the surface until his fingers brushed over the bracelet.

He snatched it and pulled it close, as though it was giving him energy. However, the bracelet was anything but lucky. Instead of becoming hopeful or confident, he only grew more and more furious.

 _I should have known she would never love me back._ Adrien thought to himself, finding some kind of sadist satisfaction in the negative thoughts. _First of all, I acted like a moron. But secondly, she was always better than me. I was always the goofy sidekick. I would always wait for her orders. I always had to have her save me. I'm sick of it._

Adrien was only speaking in his mind, but he felt something like a growl coming from his throat. _Ladybug would be fine without me. I would be fine without her. She only weighted me down since I had such strong feelings for her._

 _Ladybug always thought she was the most powerful, but if I could show her the truth… The truth that I would be so much more powerful than her. And that I could be the main hero._

Adrien caught movement in the corner of his eye and quickly ducked further under the covers. What he thought was Plagg was something that was moving much faster. It had sporadic movements as it bounced around his room. It was glowing purple, and when it dove into one of the pools of moonlight, he instantly knew what it was.

 _An Akuma._

He thought if he ever saw an akuma in real life, he would jump into action. But this time, he only calmly watched as it drew closer and closer. Once it was an arms distance away, he closed his eyes and felt as it hovered by his chest before landing somewhere near his hand.

When he opened his eyes. he only saw the foreign purple glow around the edges of his eyelids and the glowing bracelet.

"Well, how ironic," a voice growled inside his head. It sounded vaguely familiar. "Hello, Adrien," It stated with a voice lacking of all emotion. He recognized the voice. It was his father's. "Feeling down, son?"

"Adrien?" It was Plagg now, watching him with horror.

Adrien looked to him slowly before letting a sick smile creep upon his face. "My poor Adrien," his father mused. "How about we have a chat?"


	3. Chapter 3 - The White Cat

**Chapter 3: The White Cat**

"Wow you sure do seem happy about this!" Tikki mused as she watched Marinette get ready for bed. She was currently flitting around the room with a huge smile across her face.

"What is there to be sad about?" Marinette sighed dreamily. "I mean, now we know each other's identities, but it's like a whole new beginning."

Marinette blushed hard and sat down on the edge of her bed before lifting a pillow over her face. "All this time, Adrien was the one behind the mask. All this time, we've been secretly in love with each other. I just can't believe how lucky I am."

"Are you going to tell him that you're in love with him too?" Tikki asked, leaning in on her elbows.

"Tomorrow," she whispered excitedly. "I should have called him, but by the time I realized what a great thing this came out to be, it was a bit late. He had to have been sleeping."

"Which is what you should be doing as well, missy," Tikki joked, snuggling up with Marinette as she laid down in her bed. The young girl sighed happily. "I just can't believe it. How will I be able to sleep?"

Marinette was just beginning to drift when she heard a strange voice calling her name from outside. Both Mari and Tikki jumped up to the nearest window to find the source, and saw something flying towards them at incredible speeds.

"It's Chat's Kwami," Tikki informed, right before Plagg could fly past them.

"Plagg!" Tikki exclaimed. "Long time, no see!"

Plagg zoomed around the room desperately looking out every window. "There's no time, he's coming!"

"Who's coming?" Marinette asked, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Adrien was akumatized."

Tikki and Marinette both gasped in unison. Marinette's eyes already stung with tears. "What do you mean?"

"I'll tell you what I know, but first, we have to get out of here," Plagg warned. "He's dangerous and he's coming for you."

Plagg helped Tikki and Marinette pack a small bag with emergency supplies and then began their descent down to the back door. Before pushing through the door, she paused and looked back upstairs. Hopefully her parents wouldn't wake up.

"They'll be fine, Marinette," Tikki whispered. "We have to go find somewhere to transform."

As they all dashed to the nearest alleyway, Plagg hurriedly explained all that he knew, which wasn't much. "I was asleep, and then woke up to find him just before he transformed into Chat Blanc. His suit is white and he basically looks the same but he's much more dangerous."

They ducked into the alley, and Ladybug hurriedly transformed before peeking out from the side of the building. As if on cue, Chat Blanc jumped into view. From what ladybug could see, there wasn't much of a difference other than the striking white suit. It reflected the light much like the moon that hovered above him, and both gave an eerie glow.

"What's going to happen when he sees I'm not there?" Ladybug asked Plagg, who stayed close to her frame.

"I don't know," he whispered.

They both watched the building in silence as though they could see or hear what was going on. They stared anxiously ahead, afraid to make any type of sound or movement.

There was suddenly a faint crashing noise, and then Ladybug and Plagg watched in horror as flames began to flicker from behind the windows.

"My parents!" Ladybug cried as she bolted back to the bakery. Plagg followed behind her, knowing that this wasn't a good idea but also knowing that she wouldn't be able to stop Ladybug.

They got back inside, and she quickly found her parents without much trouble. They were sleepy and confused, but she found relief in them being okay. The flames could be heard roaring and popping in the floor above them, and dust began to fall from the ceiling as the flames crept down the building.

"Our daughter is still in there!" Sabine cried as Ladybug began pulling them downstairs.

"She's fine! She ran to get help," Ladybug lied quickly once they got to the back door. "Please just go somewhere safe."

The two nodded and then disappeared, leaving Ladybug to run back up to the living room. It was perfectly normal except for the heat, the smoke beginning to pour into the room and the roaring of the fire above.

"Marinette, we should really go somewhere more open. This place is too small," Plagg stated, with an edge to his voice.

The two jumped at a loud groaning noise, and then ducked behind the counter in her kitchen as the ceiling above the living room crumbled.

Ladybug coughed as dust came spewing into the kitchen, and then looked over the counter once it began to clear. Fire was already starting to catch the curtains and the chairs, and smoke billowed from the wreckage. But what scared Ladybug the most was the perfectly still figure standing on the pile of debris.

Chat Blanc.

Even in the smoke and ash that was floating eerily around the room like falling snow, his white suit was spotless. His tail swished from side to side behind him, and Ladybug could see the glint of a pointed edge at the end of it. Long, sharp claws extended from his fingers, and in both of his palms was something like a magenta flame that flickered like a candle in the wind.

She looked up and saw the face she had come to love twisted into something evil and horrible. His smile was wide and sickening, and she could see the points of fangs pressing against his lips. His hair was still golden blonde, but his eyes were now a deep purple, that also seemed to be glowing that same magenta color.

"Hello, Ladybug," Chat sneered and launched at her.


	4. Chapter 4 - Catastrophe

**Chapter 4: Catastrophe**

The cold air stung her face as she flew from roof to roof. She could barely even remember how she escaped her burning house, but she knew that she had barely gotten out without being ripped to shreds or set ablaze.

She tried to remain emotionless through all of this, knowing that getting upset would only make this harder for her. She knew that it wasn't truly him. It was the akuma that was making him this way.

But the fact that he, Chat and Adrien, still got akumatized still nipped at the back of her thoughts. They both didn't deserve to feel this way, and the thought of her possibly being the cause made tears spring from her eyes as she ran.

She glanced quickly behind her and saw the flash of white staying close behind. Behind him was the trails of fire he was leaving on the rooftops. She wondered quickly if he had been doing that the entire time, and tried not to think about the people inside those buildings.

"You can't run forever," she heard Chat shout, and cringed when she realized he was right. The more she ran, the more she let him spread the fire. And maybe the Miraculous power could heal wounds and fix damaged property, but she was certain it couldn't bring people back to life. If there was going to be a casualty tonight, she would only let it be her own.

Ladybug turned direction quickly, which set her in the right path for where she decided to go, but gave Chat an advantage on getting a few meters closer. She could hear the crackle of the flames over her heavy breathing, and could feel the heat of it at her back.

Fortunately, she saw her destination come into view. Unfortunately, she found herself at the wrong side of the ornate structure, and was running out of time to try and find the entrance.

She stopped at the edge of the building, and turned around to find that he had stopped as well. She sighed with relief, but still watched him carefully. He stood perfectly still aside from his tail swishing back and forth, and grinned terribly at her as though she was nothing but a bug under his boot.

Plagg was suddenly at her side again. She had forgotten he was following her. "Ladybug, what are you doing?" She only shushed him in response.

"What's wrong Ladybug," Chat sneered. She cringed at the way he said her name. He always filled her name and nicknames with affection and kindness, but now his voice twisted it into something full of loathing. "Giving up already?"

Ladybug was still trying to catch her breath from the run. How did he have so much energy? He looked as though it was nothing but a quick jog for him. "No," Ladybug stated firmly. "I won't give up until you are back to yourself."

That only seemed to annoy him. He balled his hands into fists at his sides and the purple flames were extinguished. "Back to the wimp that stood in the shadows of the girl he pined over?" He laughed sarcastically and began to saunter over to her. "No way. I'm much stronger now. Unstoppable."

She quickly looked behind her at the dance studio and wondered if her plan would work. When she turned back to Chat, he was much closer. "That's what you think, Chat. But I thought you knew more than anyone that evil never wins. I will be able to take you down."

Chat smirked again, causing Ladybug's stomach to churn. "Try me, Ladybug," he spat, and then pounced on her. Instead of dodging him this time, she prepared herself for the blow and hoped that once he slammed into her, the plan would work.

He didn't seem to expect her to stay where she was, so he clumsily crashed into her. The force of the collision caused the both of them to fly back towards the dance studio behind them.

Ladybug felt the cold wind on her back as the two of them flew through the air. She took a deep breath as time began to slow down, and wished for some of Tikki's luck. After she exhaled, she closed her eyes, and braced for impact.

The two figures went crashing through the window of the studio, and landed with a crash against the dark wood floors. Ladybug's ears rang from the shattering of the glass and the impact, but she didn't let that stop her. She shook her head slowly and then looked quickly to her surroundings.

"Are you alright?" Plagg hissed somewhere by her ear.

"I'll be fine," she replied quickly, and pushed herself up. The floor was stained black by the darkness, but the moonlight left bleached tiles on the floor, and lit up the pieces of glass that were scattered across the empty room like a spilled box of diamonds.

Chat groaned and rolled over onto his back beside her. "You'll regret that," he grumbled, and began to get back up.

Ladybug stood up and felt her energy start to come back to her. She knew that she would be able to keep her luck, energy, and health up until she used her lucky charm, so she hoped that tonight she could win without it.

Chat Noir stood up next, and then it was just the two of them facing each other in the empty room. Mirrors along the walls gave her a view of him from every angle, and she knew that it would make it easier to fight him.

Instead of making another move, he froze. She watched curiously as a pink butterfly glowed around his face. It illuminated his features with a purple glow. His eyes darted back and forth as he listened to something she couldn't hear. Instead, she heard his responses.

"Yes, Hawkmoth. Her earrings? But what if I- Yes. I can do that."

"Don't listen to him," Ladybug stated finally. Chat looked to her and frowned. "I thought you were better than that."

The pink butterfly faded and Chat rolled his glowing magenta eyes. He sighed and then held his hands behind his back. "Look, Ladybug, you don't have to fight me. You could just make this easy, and join me."

"Join you?" Ladybug asked incredulously. "I made a promise to protect the city I love. As did you."

Chat scoffed. "Hawkmoth has an akuma waiting for you. If you agree to join us, he will give you power. More than you already have." Chat paused and slowly walked towards his old partner and new enemy. "I, of course, will be the leader, but we can dominate Paris - and even the World - together."

"Unlike you," Ladybug started. "I don't need the help of a villain to be strong. I do that all on my own."

Chat stopped about a foot away from her. She saw herself reflected in the white of his mask and tried to swallow down her fear quietly. His gaze dug into her skin, and his devilish smirk revealed his pointed teeth.

"I was strong, but now I'm much stronger." He lifted his hands and looked at them for a few moments before glancing back up to her. "Now, I have unlimited power. In both hands. I'm much faster. I'm so much stronger." His tail swung around quickly and stopped with the point centimeters from her neck. "Everything about me is … deadlier."

"But how reliable is Hawkmoth," Ladybug stammered, finally being able to look away from the glinting spear at the end of his tail. "How long will you have these powers before he betrays you and takes your miraculous completely away."

Chat looked taken aback for a moment before becoming frustrated. "No," he said simply. "We made a deal. Now it's your turn. What will it be?"

Chat leaned in towards ladybug. His nose brushed up against hers, and she couldn't help but shudder. A couple of days ago, she would have found the gesture normal with a hint of playfulness. But now, she didn't want to be near him. This wasn't the Chat she knew. This wasn't the Chat she loved.

In a fit of frustration, she fired her fist straight towards his head. Right before colliding with his temple, he reached up and caught her hand. He was right when he said that he was stronger. He made it seem that it took no effort at all to hold her hand back.

She sucked in a breath as he turned his head to look at her fist. His fingers tightened around hers, and she felt his long claws break the skin on her hand. When he turned back to look her in the eyes, he only looked disappointed.

"Oh, ladybug," He whispered. The sound was a mix between a purr and a growl. "You chose wrong."


	5. Chapter 5 - Lady Luck and Chat Blanc

**Chapter 5 - Lady Luck and Chat Blanc**

Before Chat could rake his claws across her face, Ladybug swiftly kicked him back and jumped away. She reached for her yoyo and yanked it up and down a couple times before spinning it beside her. The weapon lit up the room with an eerie pink glow that was also reflected on the floor, the mirrors, and Chat's white suit.

"I don't want to fight you," Ladybug admitted. She didn't know whether that was a good or bad move. She didn't want to back down and make herself look weaker, but she also thought that maybe being more emotional could snap him out of it.

"Because you know I'm too strong?" Chat joked, twirling his baton in his hand.

"No," she replied. "It's actually the opposite."

Chat scowled and then sprinted over to her. He leaped into the air and then slammed his staff down as hard as he could. Ladybug jumped out of the way in time, but she still felt the breeze and rush of metal as it grazed her face. The baton hit the ground with a crack, leaving a dent in the wood. He looked up, his eyes burning with rage and fury.

He did this a few more times, each time getting more and more reckless with anger. Though he was growing furious, his attacks were getting less and less accurate. Because of this, Ladybug was able to evade each blow, but she was too busy with trying to get out of the way to fight back.

Once she got a good distance from him, she threw her yoyo. The first time flew just past his face and surprise him. Unfortunately, he was able to block every throw with a simple flick of his staff right after that. She aimed at him one more time and let it fly, hoping that even if it didn't hit him, some more of her luck would kick in and do _something._ It soared towards Chat at an incredible speed, but still not fast enough for him to be unable to snatch it out of the air. He quickly yanked the string right from ladybug's fingers and shoved the weapon into his pocket.

"Enough of this stalling. I want a real fight," He spat.

He leaned back a ways before launching his baton at her like a javelin. Ladybug jumped out of the way when the staff zipped past her head, and rolled across the ground before stopping against a tower of chairs.

After retrieving his staff, he ran towards her with it at the ready. Ladybug swung her leg around and hooked the leg of the bottom chair with her foot. When Chat got close enough, she pulled hard, causing the tower to tumble to the ground. Chat tried to stop, but still managed to stumble over the chairs, dropping his baton in the process.

Ladybug scrambled to her feet and scooped the baton off the floor. Chat watched with a mix of anger and amusement as she snapped the baton in half over her knee. Sparks shot from the ends of it for a few seconds, and Ladybug threw the pieces to the side once they stopped.

Chat shook his head and then ran for her again as the purple butterfly lit up his face. He listened intently as he swiped his claws at Ladybug. They only touched her once, catching the sleeve of her suit and making a clean slice down to the glove. The purple butterfly was quickly replaced with another one of his sick smirks.

Ladybug watched in horror as Chat's hands were swallowed in magenta fire once again. He continued to swipe his claws and throw punches with little success. He was furious and full of rage, but still wasn't quite good enough. Ladybug, who didn't want to hurt him, continued to push and kick him back when she could. They were evenly matched. The fire made things a bit harder for ladybug, and she could feel fatigue beginning to weigh her down, but she wouldn't let herself give up until he was back to normal.

Ladybug knew his fighting style, and she watched him carefully enough to evade most of his attacks. So when he threw his hand forward, she was able to easily jump away.

She hadn't realized how close to the back of the room they had gotten, and suddenly saw that Chat slamming his palm into the wall wasn't an accident. He grinned as the flames swallowed up the wall. They lit up his eyes, face, and suit with a flickering orange color.

She froze with terror as he jumped from wall to wall, lighting up each side of the room until they were trapped in a smoldering box of flames. Some of the smoke was able to escape from the broken window, but it began clouding up the room quickly. Ladybug felt it inside of her lungs already and tried to stay alert as she coughed it all out.

Her breath was quickening, and she could feel herself begin to panic. The heat was only hurrying the process. She needed to stop him soon, but she couldn't bring herself to even thinking of hurting him.

She heard a thud above her and looked up to see two magenta eyes glowing through the smoke. He was crouched in the rafters, and let out a dark chuckle before jumping down to her.

She was dizzy from coughing and weighted down with exhaustion, which gave Chat the perfect opportunity to rake his claws straight across Ladybugs face. She yelped with surprise, and the tears came shortly after. She stumbled backwards, and Chat chuckled once again. He laid his hands on her shoulders and effortlessly threw her to the ground.

"Please," she whimpered. She felt something warm run down her neck and knew it was too thick to be tears. "Chat- Adrien, I know you are in there. Please come back."

Chat bent over her and made a mocking pouty face. "You know that's not going to work Ladybug. Now that I'm stronger than you."

"Is that what this is all about," she whispered. The roar of the flames around her was growing louder. It was hard for her to concentrate. "Because you thought I was better than you?"

"Maybe. But look and see who's the real superhero now?"

"You aren't acting like a hero," she spat.

Chat glared and then crouched over her. He took her face in his hand and pointed it to his. Maybe at one point, he would feel something when he looked deep into her sky blue eyes, but now it was only a numbness and excitement. He felt powerful.

"If you… disappear tonight, they will never suspect me."

She couldn't help but like a fearful whimper escape her lips. "You wouldn't."

He smirked and pulled his hand back. the tips were stained crimson. She suddenly noticed the bracelet from yesterday, that was now a purple color, tied around his wrist. She wondered if that was what the akuma flew into. It had to be. His other hand was still burning with magenta flames, and Ladybug watched it carefully.

"Is this all because of what happened yesterday? When you found out?"

"It's because this entire time, I've been treated like a joke. I'm fed up with it. I'm fed up with being the sidekick."

"But we were always a team, Chat. I thought you knew that. Just because I was able to cleanse the akuma doesn't mean that I was any better than you. I always needed you, and you always needed-"

"Maybe in your eyes," he hissed. "But it's different for me." He looked surprised as the purple butterfly appeared around his face again, and then gave an annoyed expression after a few moments. "Let me talk," he spat as he waved the purple butterfly away.

"You don't know what it feels like to be continuously rejected. You don't know what it felt like to always be the butt of the joke _and_ the sidekick."

"But I've always loved you," Ladybug whimpered, the tears returning to her eyes. "I've loved you for years, Adrien. That's why I was always so nervous around you in school. And I was even starting to love Chat too. But now, you are the same person, and I can say for sure that I love you. The only thing holding me back was our secret identities. But now we know, and we can be together."

Chat looked surprised, and blinked a few times before shaking away the expression. "No. It's too late," he mumbled. He lifted his burning hand and pointed it at Ladybug's face. "You have two options now. Either join me, and become my sidekick, or disappear.


	6. Chapter 6 - Choices (Final Chapter)

**Chapter 6 - Choices**

"I don't want to become your sidekick," Ladybug replied. Her face stung from the scratches, her body ached from hitting the ground and fighting and running, and her lungs burned from the smoke that floated around them. She wondered if he felt anything at all anymore, or if his feelings and emotions were only replaced with power and energy. "We were always a team."

"I don't want to be in a team anymore," Chat snarled. "When I'm alone, I won't get my feelings hurt anymore."

"But that's what makes you human. That's what makes you… _you._ Would you rather just be this horrible empty shell of a person?"

"It's better than risking my life for nothing."

Ladybug felt pained to even hear the words escape his lips. "If I only knew who you were this whole time, then we wouldn't be here right now. Don't you see how silly this is?" She paused. "And it was always your choice to protect me. I was always thankful, but I never forced you to do that."

"Well, then now I won't have to."

Ladybug moaned. If time hadn't been running out before, it was definitely running out now. The flames were starting to catch the ceiling above them, and was probably starting to catch the floor. "Can't you see Chat, I've _needed_ you. I've always needed you."

He tried to inhale, and then began to cough. The smoke was beginning to affect him to. He was annoyed before, and now became even angrier. "Lets quit stalling, Ladybug. Any last words?"

She could feel the heat of the magenta flames against her throat. She took a deep, shaky breath, and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Ladybug's eyes shot open, and she found Chat's face unaffected. However, the flames still lingered by her head. "I'm sorry that I made you feel bad enough to get akumatized. I never meant to make you think this way, and I definitely never meant for this to happen. I'm so sorry, Adrien."

Something happened in Chat's face. Maybe his eyes softened, or his mouth twitched. Ladybug wasn't sure, but she knew he was feeling something.

"Stop," Chat stammered. "I'm finally winning." His voice suddenly lacked the confidence he had before. It sounded as though he was trying to convince himself the statement was true.

"But, Chat, you aren't winning. You aren't any more powerful. Hawkmoth made you this way. If you do this, you will only be succumbing to Hawkmoth's wishes and orders. And once you go back to who you are, you won't be any different. Hawkmoth can't be trusted."

Chat looked surprised, and Ladybug continued. "If you do this to me, Hawkmoth will be the most powerful. Hawkmoth will be the winner. You will be taking orders from him."

Chat let his gaze drop from Ladybug's eyes. She was getting closer. She was making him conflicted. She mustered up the courage to speak once more, gaining his attention one more time.

"I want to give _you_ a choice now. The first choice is to go ahead with this. I don't want to stop you if you really want to do this. If this is the answer, then so be it.

"But I'm giving you another option. That option is to stop this all, right here and right now. If you truly are strong, and want to prove that to me, then stop all of this. If you are more powerful, then you will have to show me you are strong enough to stop this."

Ladybug had just enough time to finish her sentence before her coughing shook her body. She felt lightheaded, and wondered how much time she would have left before she would pass out.

"I trust whatever decision you make," she sputtered. "You are my partner, and you always will be."

She coughed again, and once she expelled the ash from her lungs, she closed her eyes and rolled her head back. She continued to feel the heat against the skin of her neck, and waited for the moment it would come into contact.

But it never dead.

After several minutes, Ladybug forced her eyes back open and found Chat in a state of wild conflict. His eyes were wide with anger, but they looked past her as he tried to decide what to do. The purple butterfly was around his face again, and she guessed that Hawkmoth was probably trying to convince him to set her ablaze.

Finally, Ladybug let her emotions loose. She let the tears slip from her eyes, and felt them run down her face. "Chat," she whimpered. At this point, she didn't care what he chose, as long as he chose it soon. The fire was growing louder and wilder around them. It was starting to close in.

Suddenly, his eyes flicked to hers. They were full of fear and sadness. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and Ladybug shut her eyes.

Chat lifted his blazing hand from Ladybug's head and used it to snap the bracelet from his wrist.

Ladybug was right. Hawkmoth was the one that would be the most powerful. Chat would just end up being the fool that Hawkmoth would use to get what he wanted. And Chat wasn't going to let that happen.

The bracelet turned black in his hand and he watched in disgust as the familiar butterfly wiggled its way from it. "Ladybug," Chat stammered, before reaching up and snatching the frazzled insect.

Ladybug opened her eyes slowly and blinked at Chat a few times. "Chat?" She whispered, her voice hoarse.

"Ladybug, quickly, I have the akuma."

Ladybug smiled and sat up with relief taking over her features, causing Chat to freeze. He looked to the gashes that ran from the skin under her eye to her lips and shuddered. Had he done that? Their fight was a blur to him now.

He quickly dug the yoyo from his pocket and then gave it to her so she could open it. He forced the bug into the glowing compact, and the lid closed around it automatically for a few seconds. When Ladybug opened it back up, the white butterfly escaped and disappeared somewhere in the smoke.

Chat turned back to Ladybug and watched as she threw the yoyo into the air. The thing erupted with pink light and rose petals, and the fire and smoke around them was gone in seconds.

Chat blacked out for a few moments, and when he could see again, he looked around. He was confused as to why he was sitting in the middle of a dance studio, and also wondered why he felt sore and exhausted. His mind was heavy as though he was trying to remember a long dream, but nothing came to him.

"Adrien?" He heard a familiar voice call out his name. His head swiveled to see Plagg peeking out from behind a radiator.

"Plagg?" Adrien stammered. "What happened?"

Before Plagg could answer, he looked towards the movement beside him and saw Ladybug sway before lurching forward. He caught her quickly and then exclaimed, "Ladybug!".

She went limp in his arms, and he scooped her up quickly. "Plagg, transform me!" He shouted, and the Kwami wordlessly jumped into his ring. A window was pushed open, and Chat used that to escape into the night. He pressed her body close to his own as he leapt onto the nearest rooftop.

Once he had found a flat spot, he sat down and laid Ladybug in his lap. She was filthy with ash and dirty marks on her suit. Her face was stained with tears and the bloody scratches on the side of her face.

He wondered what had happened in the last several hours. The last thing he remembered was not being able to sleep, and then it was all a blur.

His thoughts were interrupted by the green light of his transformation back into Adrien. Plagg now hovered somewhere over his shoulder, but he couldn't look away.

"What happened to me?" Adrien whispered.

"You were akumatized," Plagg stated solemnly.

There was a long pause before Adrien spoke again. "Did I do this to her?"

"Yes."

Adrien sucked in a breath as tears dripped from his eyes. The only thing he could think to do was take Ladybug in his arms and pull her to him. He could just barely hear her shallow breaths against his body.

He held her tight as he sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, my Lady," he sobbed. "I'm s-so so sorry."

A few minutes passed where the only sounds that could be heard were the gasps of Adrien and the occasional sounds from the streets of Paris below. It was almost completely dark save for the lamplights and the full moon that bleached the landscape around them.

"Adrien?"

The small whimper of a voice caused him to jump and look at the stirring form in his arms. She slowly pulled away and blinked a few times before smiling and sighing with relief. Ladybug had transformed back into Marinette without Adrien noticing.

Adrien watched as her sky blue eyes scanned his face. As she spoke, he remained almost perfectly still except for reaching out to touch her navy blue hair as though he couldn't decide if she was real, or a mirage.

"Adrien," she started. "I've been in love with you for a long time now. I've always loved you. And I was just starting to love Chat too, but now that I know who you really are, there really is no question to it.

"I love you, Adrien."

Adrien's eyes lit up with love and affection, and his heart skipped a few beats when Marinette leaned forward and pressed her lips against his. They almost seemed to melt into each other as Adrien held her tighter against him. The both of them smiled at the electricity that seemed to course through their bodies as they kissed, which made it harder for them to pull away from each other.

"Marinette, I'm so sorry," Adrien whispered. She could feel his breath on her cold cheek and she smiled.

She took his face in his hands. "I knew it wasn't you this whole time. I trust you with my life, and I know you would do anything for me. And I want you to know I couldn't think of you any lower than me if I tried. We are equals- a true team. We are strong when separated, and unstoppable when together."

Adrien felt a tear slip down his cheek and Marinette quickly wiped it away. "I love you, and won't let anything like this happen ever again."

Marinette smiled, causing Adrien to smile as well. "I know."

Adrien reached down and curled his fingers in between Marinette's. He always knew that this girl was the love of her life. He always knew that he would be there to protect her as long as his heart was still beating. He always knew, that though they were hard to beat when apart, that their friendship, teamwork, and their love was the most powerful.


End file.
